Take a Stand: Rebirth
by NateTheFFUser10
Summary: After offing herself during the events of Star of Ceartais, Fuli Duma finds herself having been resurrected and made good by a certain individual.


(NATE NOTE: I'll be deeming this (and my other TaS works) non-canon.)

* * *

My name is Fuli Duma. I used to be the leader of a cult known as the Drowned.

I remember the last few things that happened before... this. I was pinned to the floor by this robot named "Spitfire", and I had resorted to unpinning a grenade in an attempt to kill him... and myself. The last thing I said was... "For the Wave."

Huh... the Wave... Who would've thought I'd end up starting my own little cult because of a natural disaster?

...I opened my eyes. I found myself in what looked a basement... There was someone in front of me. They were completely black, like a silhouette, but I could clearly see their eyes... their four eyes; two above, two under. They had two sets of ears, two hyena-like ears, two aardwolf-like ears...

-Welcome back to the world, Ms. Duma.- They somehow knew my name...

I, confused, of course, asked:  
-Who are you...?  
-Ehhhh... You may call me the Silhouette.  
-The Silhouette... Quite the obvious name.  
-Yeah, I know... Heh...- They looked to the side and smiled.  
-Where am I anyway?  
-Eh, let's just say it's kind of... my lair.  
-Huh... Your "lair"...- I looked around the place. It was almost empty. There were only a few tables and chairs here and there.

Then, I looked at my arm to see if I looked any different... My arm was covered in black-colored metal down to my elbow, and I wore a black metallic shoulder pad.

-Oh, right. You might wanna check out your new look.- The Silhouette pulled out a giant mirror in front of me. -Ta daaaaaa!

My torso was also covered in the same black metal, and I had a thick chestplate that covered the top half. My hips and legs were metallic too, down to the kneecaps I wore. The leggings had a long line carved on each leg, that went inwards on the middle before going down again, and my tail protruded from the back of my hip plate.  
I got off of the big plate I was laying on and walked closer to the mirror to take a better look at myself.

-Ya like it?  
-...Yes...- I nodded. -So, how did you do it?  
-Well, the thing is, I have this peculiar ability to shapeshift and create stuff using my own body.- They answered, turning their left arm into a battle axe upon saying "shapeshift" and digging their hand into their torso and pulling out a working robotic arm upon saying "create stuff".  
-Huh... Interesting.

They smiled, let out a "Hmph" and placed the mirror back where it was. Then, two things popped into my mind:

-But... why did you do this?

Upon hearing my question, their smile faded away, and they stayed silent for a few moments.

-...I don't really know. It's just... when I found out you offed yourself, I... started feeling this... strange desire to, I dunno... bring you back. Look, I don't fully comprehend it yet, so... yeah.  
-Uh-huh... By the way, I noticed that even though I remember all the things I did as part of the Drowned, I feel like... I don't want to do things like that anymore...  
-Oh, that. Well, the thing is, I put you a little chip that'd make you not wanna do Drowned stuff anymore. In a sense, it's kinda like brainwashing.  
-...Brainwashing...

That word reminded me of what I did to children as a Drowned...

-...How about we take a seat?  
-Huh? Oh, uh, sure.

They picked up two chairs and placed them, and we sat down.

-Ok... So. Thing is, five years have passed already, so I had to make you a new body, cause the other one was already... too rotten.  
- _Uh-huh..._ \- I replied, trying not to picture my remains, all rotten.  
-Heh. Anyway, your mind works with chips. Y'know, like Baymax from that one Disney movie, "Pig Hero 6". One chip has your memories, which I got from... somewhere... and turns what you experience into memories and stores them in itself; one makes you able to think, reason and all that; and of course, there's the "No More Drowned" one.  
-I see... By the way, I forgot to ask. Where did you get these powers?  
-Well, there was this one incident a while ago, where these weird purple cloud thingies started raining down on everyone from the sky, and those who were hit - including me - got superpowers.  
-Ah.  
-Oh, by the way, I went and implemented you a few things.  
-Really?  
-Yeah. First off: weapons. Gimme your arm.

I did as I was told. Then, they pulled out a remote control.

-You have...- They pressed a button, and my right forearm turned into a Gatling gun barrel. -...a Gatling gun...- They pressed another button, and my hand became a spray nozzle. -...and, one that I made up: The Styx Sleeper. This bad girl can spray a gas that looks just like the styx gas you and the Drowned used, but it just knocks you out.  
-Oooh...- I moved my arm to look at my weapon from different angles.

After checking it out for a few moments, I turned my arm back to normal.

-Next, a mask.

They pressed a button, and two small plates appeared and closed onto each other, covering the bottom half of my face.

Then, the top half came down; the glass on the eyeholes was yellow and displayed a H.U.D.

-And finally...- They pressed a few buttons. I suddenly got up my chair. -Get ready. You don't know how fast you're about to run.

Once they pressed one more button, I started to run at incredible speed, which was being indicated in the mask's H.U.D.

I ran around the basement for a while, until I eventually stopped, and the mask came off.

-Whew...!  
-Cool, huh? You also have pain inhibitors. Anyway, you can also do all these things with your mind. I mean, what kind of robot-slash-cyborg wouldn't be able to use their own functions by themselves?  
-But... why would I need them?  
-Weeell... Let's just say I have a little proposal for you.  
-A proposal? Hmmm... Tell me.- I said, sitting back down.  
-...I'd like you to be my partner in crime... And by that, I mean my sidekick, in vigilante work.  
-...Oh.  
-And... also help me help Team Ceartais.

Team Ceartais... The team of vigilantes the Drowned and I fought against...

-...Ceartais?-...Yep. I mean, not necessarily with us being part of the team, but you get the idea. I know you and they used to be enemies, but hey, change is a part of life, heh.  
-...But... after what I did, I don't think they'll trust me.  
-Eh, seeing how I brought you back out of all people, I think they'll see me as suspicious too...- Then, they leaned in and put their hand on my shoulder pad. -...but if we prove to them that we're worthy of their trust, I'm sure they will trust us.

I sat there, deep in thought. "What should I do?" I wondered. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but since I no longer wanted to do Drowned work, there really wasn't a reason for me to decline aside from my fear of not being trusted.

After thinking about it for a while, I finally decided:

-...I'm in.

...But by that time, the Silhouette had fallen asleep... or at least was pretending to be.

-...Hello?  
-Hm-? Wha-? Oh, you're in? Great! Now, how 'bout a handshake to seal the deal?

They stretched out their hand, and I shook it.

-So. First thing we need is two names: One for your vigilante identity, and one for your civilian identity - cause people will see you walking on the streets and say " **EHR MAH GARD, IT'SH THE LEADER OF THE DROWNED. GET HER**."- We both laughed. -In fact, I already have an idea for a vigilante name. Does "Styx" sound good? Y'know, like the styx powder.  
-Hmm... Yes, I like it. As for my civilian name... -I tried to think of a good name.-  
-Dawn Foster?  
-...My initials, but turned around?  
The Silhouette sniggered and shrugged. -Tho, you gotta admit, Dawn does kinda fit. _"The dawn of a new life"..._  
-Hmmm... When you put it like that, Dawn does sound good. But what about the surname?

We tried thinking a bit more...

-...Torrent?  
-"Torrent"?  
-Yeah, cuz, y'know, _the Wave._

I thought about it for a moment...

-...Very well.  
-Ok... Next, an outfit for your civilian look. What would you like?  
-Hmmm...

I thought of the clothes I'd like to wear and listed them to the Silhouette, who created them and gave them to me shortly after.

-Alright then, it's decided.- they said while clapping their hands together. -Once you are needed, I'll call you. Alright?

I nodded in response.

-Now, come.

They took me up the basement's stairs, unlocked the door, opened it, and took me to a living room. I saw pictures of a male hyena and a female aardwolf, both adult.

-Feel free to stay here with us...- Then, the Silhouette split into two silhouettes; one kept two eyes and the hyena ears, while the other kept the other pair of eyes and the aardwolf ears. The black color melted off of the two figures and vanished, revealing the hyena and the aardwolf I saw in the pictures. -...in our humble abode.-  
-Whoa...  
-Jina Yeene.- said the hyena.  
-Ogopa Yeene.- said the aardwolf.  
-Nice to meet you.- Jina stretched his hand, which I shook, still a bit surprised from the transformation I just witnessed.  
-...That explains the double pairs of eyes and ears.- I spoke up.  
Jina laughed and looked to the side. -Yeah...- He started walking around while explaining. -The thing is, after we got superpowered by the purple cloud thingies, I remembered Team Ceartais and said "Hey! Why don't we become vigilantes-slash-superheroes too?"  
-And then, we became " _the Silhouette_ ".- Ogopa added.  
-I see.

And so, the couple and I talked for a while. They told me about a few things they had done already as the Silhouette, and about Jina's plans to get a few more helpers in order to make a team - just like Ceartais.

And that is the story of how I was brought back to life and taken in by someone who was affected by my death.  
This was my new beginning as Fuli Duma; my **rebirth**.


End file.
